FINAL rehearsals are taking place for a major new production of Little Shop of Horrors, opening at Salisbury Playhouse on Thursday.

The production, directed by Salisbury Playhouse’s artistic director Gareth Machin, is a co-production between Salisbury Playhouse and Mercury Theatre Colchester and promises to be “a feast of fun and foliage”.

This monster musical is packed with the sounds of Motown, rock and roll and do-wap, and features impressive sets and costumes, dazzling dance numbers and a huge man-eating plant hungry to take over the world.

Ben Stott (Wicked, West End and Sweeney Todd, West Yorkshire Playhouse) plays Seymour, the down and out shop worker who becomes an overnight sensation when he grows a plant that feeds on fresh blood.

The love of his life, Audrey, is played by Frances McNamee (Love’s Labour’s Lost, RSC, and Pride and Prejudice at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).

Shop owner Mushnik will be played by Simeon Truby (Sweeney Todd, West End) and Jez Unwin (Once, Ghost, Top Hat) plays the sadistic dentist Orin.

Gareth Cassidy, Leon Craig, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Karis Jack, Andrew London, Frances Mayli McCann and Carole Stennett complete the cast.

Little Shop of Horrors is the second co-production between Salisbury Playhouse and Mercury Theatre Colchester. Last summer they co-produced the regional premiere of Betty Blue Eyes, which was followed by a national tour.

“Little Shop of Horrors is essentially a Faustian story but it is also a tremendous amount of fun,” said Gareth.

“It has a fantastic musical score with a great mixture of styles that we are sure our audiences will love.

“I’m delighted that we are, once again, collaborating with Mercury Theatre Colchester on this exciting production that’s full of energy, sass and style.”

Little Shop of Horrors is designed by James Button, with Richard Reeday as musical director, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by David W Kidd and sound design by Alex Twiselton. The original book and lyrics were written by Howard Ashman with music by Alan Menken.

Little Shop of Horrors is at Salisbury Playhouse from Thursday to Saturday, May 16, followed by a week at Mercury Theatre Colchester.